George Steinbrenner Monument to Be Unveiled Today Before Yankees-Rays Game

By Erik Matuszewski -
Sep 20, 2010

George Steinbrenner gets his place
alongside Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle in Yankee Stadium’s
Monument Park today as the New York Yankees honor their late
owner before the start of a four-game series against Tampa Bay.

Steinbrenner was 80 when he died July 13, seven months
after the 37th anniversary of his ownership. The team won seven
World Series championships and 11 American League titles during
his tenure as principal owner.

A ceremony to unveil Steinbrenner’s monument will start
tonight at 7 p.m., 30 minutes before the scheduled start of the
Yankees’ game against the Rays.

New York holds a half-game lead over Tampa Bay for both the
AL Eastern Division lead and the best overall record in Major
League Baseball. The Rays have won eight of the first 14 games
between the division rivals this season.

Monument Park is an open-air shrine beyond the center-field
wall in the new Yankee Stadium.

Originally built during the renovation of the old stadium
in the late 1970s, the park has monuments for Ruth, Mantle, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio and manager Miller Huggins. All are members
of baseball’s Hall of Fame.

There also are plaques commemorating players and managers
with retired numbers, front-office leaders, team broadcasters
and three Popes -- Paul VI, John Paul II and Benedict XVI -- who
celebrated Mass at the stadium.

The Yankees said Steinbrenner’s wife, Joan, and all four of
the couple’s children -- Hal, Hank, Jennifer and Jessica -- are
scheduled to attend the ceremony. Steinbrenner’s granddaughter,
Haley Swindal, will sing God Bless America after the top half of
the seventh inning.